“Where It Hurts,” a new podcast from KFF’s Kaiser Health News (KHN) and St. Louis Public Radio, explores painful cracks in America’s health system that leave millions without the health care they need.
Season One, titled “No Mercy,” tells the story of what happened in Fort Scott, Kansas, when the rural town’s 132-year-old Mercy Hospital closed due to financial difficulties. KHN senior correspondent Sarah Jane Tribble, who grew up on 10 acres about an hour from Fort Scott, spent more than a year reporting from the town, where locals lost vital health care, workers lost well-paying jobs, and the community’s sense of identity wavered. Among the topics Tribble investigates is the question of whether every community needs a hospital.
Members of the news media may request an embargoed copy of the second episode of “Where It Hurts” by filling out the form below. In doing so, you agree to respect the embargo, which expires at 6 a.m. Eastern time/5 a.m. Central time on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020.
New episodes will be released weekly through Nov. 10, and will be available on major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and NPR One. Find more information at whereithurts.show
KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.Some elements may be removed from this article due to republishing restrictions. If you have questions about available photos or other content, please contact khnweb@kff.org.
